1988 Toyota Corolla Reviews, Pricing & Specs
Overview
The Toyota Corolla was redesigned for 1988, replacing the rear-drive coupe and liftback with a front-drive coupe. Across the board, the...
The Toyota Corolla was redesigned for 1988, replacing the rear-drive coupe and liftback with a front-drive coupe. Across the board, the body was much less distinct than the previous generation, and almost an inch wide on the same wheelbase. For the first time, All-Trac four-wheel drive was an option on the wagon.
The 1988 Toyota Corolla came in many body styles with several trim levels. The sedan came as a base DX or better-equipped LE. The wagon was available as a DX or SR5. The coupe came as a SR5 or GT-S. The coupe hatchback only came as the FX. All Corollas came equipped with a DOHC, 16-valve inline four-cylinder engine. The sedans, front-drive wagon and SR5 coupe had a carbureted 90-horsepower engine; the All-Trac wagon had a fuel-injected 100 horsepower engine, and the GT-S had the most powerful with a 115-horsepower EFI version. Fuel economy is about 25 to 35 mpg, depending on the engine.
Many drivers of the 1988 Toyota Corolla have been driving their cars for a decade or longer. Owners also say that it handles well in the snow. Some drivers have had problems with the electrical system, and others complain about the lack of power.
What owners say
"Owners of the 1988 Toyota Corolla generally love its reliability, fun driving experience, and excellent fuel economy. Many appreciate its comfortable interior and ample space for families. However, some drivers have noted issues with rust and the lack of power, with a desire for more features like a sunroof. Overall, it’s a car that many would buy again, with a special fondness for its performance despite its drawbacks."
Fantastic family mini-estate. Excellent engineering, but it rusts like it was paid to do it. Ample room inside for two adults and two kids with holiday luggage. Best car my wife and I have ever bought. Wouldn't hesitate to buy another one
July 22, 2009Nice little car. Two door hatchback. Bought broken and repaired as best as was possible. Performed well enough for what it was and did an acceptable job hauling me around the state. Toward the end of its life it started having many mechanical problems, eventually becoming to many to repair. If I had it to do again I probably would, but I'd be smarter about it.
September 19, 2008this car is like a best friend. sometimes its a bit touchy, you never know if it will start on the first try in the morning :) but after years, and driving back and forth between boston and seattle, i can still count on it. right now i have to make a major repair and everyone keeps telling me to sell it and buy a newer car, but for me its worth more to spend the extra cash to fix it then get something else. that's love.
February 27, 2008What owners say
Fantastic family mini-estate. Excellent engineering, but it rusts like it was paid to do it. Ample room inside for two adults and two kids with holiday luggage. Best car my wife and I have ever bought. Wouldn't hesitate to buy another one
July 22, 2009Nice little car. Two door hatchback. Bought broken and repaired as best as was possible. Performed well enough for what it was and did an acceptable job hauling me around the state. Toward the end of its life it started having many mechanical problems, eventually becoming to many to repair. If I had it to do again I probably would, but I'd be smarter about it.
September 19, 2008this car is like a best friend. sometimes its a bit touchy, you never know if it will start on the first try in the morning :) but after years, and driving back and forth between boston and seattle, i can still count on it. right now i have to make a major repair and everyone keeps telling me to sell it and buy a newer car, but for me its worth more to spend the extra cash to fix it then get something else. that's love.
February 27, 2008Most reliable car, I am the original owner since 88. I have not had to do much to keep her in great condition.
December 30, 2007This car is a great one. Easy to drive, very comfortable interior. Nice handling, although the suspension comes up a little short. Lots of little things make this vehicle special. The tilt up headlamp motors can wear out over time, so I recommend wiring in a separate switch to raise/lower them. Also, watch out for the spare tire cover. It will break easily if you put too much weight on it. Overall, however, a fantastic little car with great gas mileage and lotsa fun!
September 2, 2009I've had mine a couple of years and think out of the 100 or so cars that I've had this might be the most fun of all. If I had known what kind of car this was in 1988 I would have bought a one new. Power to weight ratio is good. Engine is very flexible with a usable power curve. Fuel economy is good. Mine is a five speed that is gobs of fun. The only thing it does not have that I wish it did is a factory sunroof. It would then truly be the ultimate driving machine. I have had MGBs, Midgets, a '67 GTO convertible and currently have an older 450sl convertible. I must say that my FX rivals them all for driving fun.
January 23, 2007This one of my favorites, is a car that you can trust, you can drive it with pleasure and you can look at it with proud :) Doesn't drink much but doesn't have much power... try to buy the 1.6L. It must be funtastic! This version doesn't have assisted steering but it's not that heavy. Nowadays it's an old car yet I think maybe I could buy one again...
November 30, 2010The Corolla GT-S is not so powerful but it's really fun to drive. It's also good looking. The look of the car is really cool for the time. It's also a very economic car for gas mileage. Even with a header and a 2½" exhaust pipe, I do easily 40 mpg.
August 22, 2008This is one of the few cars I ever bought new. It was white and that was a mistake. In the eighties toyota was using an enamel white paint that was not clear coated. This incited rust in the strangest of places. We bought this car and immediately went on vacation with it. We put alot of kms on this car too.
August 10, 2008My moms car. It has very good gas mileage. I have always liked the body style. Pretty good performance for such a small engine/car. It leaks at the sunroof, and it has problems starting.It also has rust issues, but thats because we had a repair job on it and the repairmen didn't do a good job on it.
November 23, 2009
